


Say You Won't Let Go

by PipexVauseman



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Family Feels, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff and Humor, Idiots in Love, Minor Injuries, Romance, Season/Series 06, Sharing a Bed, Swan Queen - Freeform, Swan-Mills Family, Swan-Mills Family Fluff, Swan-Mills-Charming Family, True Love, Unrequited Love, Unresolved Sexual Tension, cs in the beginning but this is a sq story, entire series needs fixing tbh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-25
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-09-02 02:25:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 19,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8648176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PipexVauseman/pseuds/PipexVauseman
Summary: I'm so in love with youAnd I hope you knowDarling your love is more than worth its weight in goldWe've come so far my dearLook how we've grownAnd I wanna stay with you until we're grey and oldJust say you won't let go- James Arthur, Say You Won't Let Go





	1. Love Is Weakness

**Author's Note:**

> Partially inspired by my anon request to tumblr user Ginnyparrilla regarding a gif set for SQ using lyrics from James Arthur's song of the same name, partially inspired by one of the directions I wish this season would have gone.

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Regina knew it was stupid to go outside alone. She knew The Queen was waiting for the chance to strike.

But while the town officials and council members who had met up at the diner to formulate a plan of attack had been trying to formulate a strategy, the pirate had decided for some gods forsaken reason that it was the perfect time to drop to one knee.

She hadn't heard anything he had said. Once he'd started to speak her eyes had closed on a heavy exhale and her jaw had tensed as her mouth clicked shut to stop any words of protest from escaping in a shout.

She felt too warm, the rush of anger heating her body. She felt claustrophobic, the nearness of the people around her suddenly stifling.

She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to act like the child she never got to be and stomp her foot and insist it wasn't fair. She wanted to rip his throat out for an entirely new reason.

She knew it was stupid to go outside alone. She knew The Queen was waiting for the chance to strike.

She didn't care. She needed to get out of there.

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Regina didn't think anyone would notice her absence. She hadn't run from the room with tears streaming down her face, even though with the way her heart was aching that's exactly what she felt like doing.

The moment wasn't about her. None of the focus should have been on her. But as she slipped away from the crowd, moving quietly but quickly toward the door to the alley out back, three pairs of green eyes tracked her movements as she didn't stop for her coat or her purse or even her son in her haste to escape.

Henry was concerned and immediately moved to follow her. When Snow stopped him with a gentle hand on his arm and shook her head 'no,' his face scrunched up and he looked at her, subconsciously using the same expression the mother he was trying to go comfort wore when confused.

Emma's mouth had fallen open in shock when Killian had clasped both her hands between his good one and his hook and dropped to one knee. But as he spoke pretty words she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye and looked up to see a brief flash of brunette hair as Regina disappeared out of sight.

In a moment of pure reflex, Emma pulled her hands back and started to step around the man still knelt before her. The speech he was giving was cut short by her abrupt movement and obvious distraction and he frowned.

"What is it, luv?"

When she turned her attention back to Killian it was clear he only had a portion, the majority remained with the woman outside.

"Can we continue this discussion later? Regina just left and she can't be alone right now. The Queen is waiting for that." She quickly scanned the room, looking for the faces of her parents, "Can you guys go follow her?"

"Discussion?" His lip curled in disgust as he stood, returning to his full height and ignoring the scene he was making, the concern she felt, and the pause she had put on the topic. "This wasn't a bloody discussion, Swan. I was proposing."

"Technically speaking, a proposition usually requires some discussion of terms and conditions," Belle quietly noted, unable to keep herself from commenting.

He turned to her with a murderous glare and pointed his hook, "Stay out of this."

Emma tucked some hair behind her right ear and ducked her head, clear signs she was uncomfortable with the attention of the crowd around them and the direction this discussion—because it was a discussion, even if it was one she didn't particularly want to have—was heading and lowly hissed, " _This is not the time_."

David stepped forward and held up his hands placatingly, "Why don't we all just take a moment to calm down and—"

Emma's head snapped in her father's direction as soon as he spoke, "You didn't go after her?"

She didn't wait for an explanation and moved around Killian, sprinting for the exit to the alley as the crowd parted for her instantly.

"When _is_ the time then?" Killian yelled at Emma's retreating figure. "Shall I schedule an appointment with City Hall, make sure Her Majesty is available?" She ignored him, unwilling to stop and argue. Realizing she wasn't going to respond he snapped, "SWAN!"

Emma came to an immediate stop and pivoted so she could look at him. Her voice was firm and her hand was steady as she motioned where Regina had gone and she would follow, "She could be in danger."

"You're chasing after that woman because her own demons have come to life and may harm her. It's her own bloody fault, let her deal with the fallout."

Emma's face contorted from frustration to disbelief and anger as she turned to fully face him, "She lost her soulmate because she followed me to the Underworld to save you and you're really going to stand there and try to talk me out of making sure she's safe?" She huffed out a quick breath of air from her flared nostrils and shook her head, her mouth a thin line of determination. "I'm not doing this with you right now. I need to make sure she's all right."

He fixed her with the same glare and threatening motion of his hook he had directed at Belle, "You walk out that door, and you've made your choice."

She met his glare with one of her own and waved her hand, disappearing in a cloud of white smoke.

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.

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Regina made it just outside the door before tears started to fall. She leaned back against the brick wall and tilted her head up towards the sky with her eyes shut tightly closed and a shaky sob echoing off the empty alley. She wrapped an arm protectively around her own middle and took deep, calming breaths to try and regain some semblance of control.

She felt the dark magic and knew who had materialized in front of her without needing to open her eyes.

"Honestly," The Queen sighed, exasperated and Regina could hear the eye roll from her tone. "How often did Mother teach us this lesson? How often has _life_ taught us this lesson? _Love_ is _weakness_."

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	2. You Just Have To Believe

_She felt the dark magic and knew who had materialized in front of her without needing to open her eyes._

"Honestly," The Queen sighed, exasperated and Regina could hear the eye roll from her tone. "How often did Mother teach us this lesson? How often has _life_ taught us this lesson? _Love_ is _weakness_."

"Shut up!"

A cloud of white smoke transporting Emma appeared at the opposite end of the alley and as soon as the swirls of magic cleared from around her Emma read the situation, focusing on Regina, angry with wet cheeks, and yelled at The Queen, "Get away from her!"

"Speak of the devil," The Queen cackled, then smirked cruelly at the blonde. "Congratulations, Savior. It seems as though, once again, you've made her cry. No matter, though. It's time we put an end to this."

"No!" Emma screamed and magic sparked from her palms as The Queen surged forward, but Regina was between them and closer to the other brunette than she was to Emma.

She didn't bring up her own hands in time to defend herself before one of The Queen's hands was shoved in her chest and yanked back. Regina staggered on her heels and gasped in pain as her heart thumped wildly in a panic, squeezed tightly in The Queen's fist.

"I realized there's really only one way this could have ever ended for us. The same way love always ends for us," The Queen lowered her voice and leaned in conspiratorially. "In death."

"NO!" Emma screamed again but The Queen didn't listen. With a squeeze, the heart in her hand turned to dust and blew away in the light breeze much like it had on a rooftop in New York. But this time, instead of one half of the split queen turning to dust and blowing away in the breeze with the remnants of her crushed heart, both of Regina's halves dropped to the floor lifelessly.

The door behind them slammed open, bouncing off the wall with a bang as Henry raced out followed closely by Snow and David.

"MOM!" He dropped to his knees beside Emma, "What happened?!"

"The Queen," was all Emma could say as she looked up and made watery eye contact with her parents.

She felt bile burning its way up her throat hearing her son crying and begging his other mother to get up, and watched as her own mother broke down sobbing against her father who stood still, robotically bringing his arms up to wrap around her, frozen in shock as tears filled his eyes.

Henry kissed Regina's cheek and when nothing happened he scrambled across the ground to The Queen and did the same.

"Why isn't it working?!"

"It's not a curse," Emma shook her head helplessly. "Her heart..." Something clicked and Emma's frown morphed into frantic energy as she quickly straightened out from where she'd been hunched over Regina. "She needs a heart."

Without thought or hesitation she reached into her own chest and tugged her heart free, wincing at the snap of it disconnecting as it was torn loose.

She knew from her magic lessons with Regina and her time as the Dark One that heart splitting had a precise science to it, otherwise you risked killing the owner of the offered organ. She didn't hesitate to doubt herself. She acted on instinct, not wanting to risk losing Regina by waiting too long for Gold or Zelena or Tink or anyone else with magic who was willing to help to get there. She took a firm hold of her heart and twisted her hands in opposite directions like she was opening a jar of pickles, an observation she had shared with Regina while they were trapped in the mirror by The Queen and earned an eye roll for.

She gasped, partially in pain, partially in disbelief that she had actually done it when the heart snapped in half. As her shoulders drooped when her body started to go limp David and Snow rushed forward to help hold her upright. She wordlessly handed one half of her heart to Henry, knowing he would keep it safe while she focused on Regina, and braced herself with her parents' help to lean over the motionless body beneath her.

As gently as possible she carefully pressed it into Regina's chest and Henry immediately handed over the remaining piece, looking at her expectantly as she studied it in her palm.

"Emma?" David questioned when she made no move to put it back.

"You should give it to her," she motioned with a nod of her head to The Queen's body, then stared back down at Regina. "She hasn't woken up yet. If this is only going to work for one of us, I want it to be her. Either version of her, I don't care. Give her the other half."

"But you'll die."

"Emma," Snow gently guided Emma's hand to return her heart back to her chest with a grip of her wrist that was as soft as the tone of voice she was using and smiled through tears remembering a conversation with Regina during her own heart split. "Neither one of you has to die. This can work."

Emma shook her head thinking of her last attempt at splitting her heart in The Underworld, "Last time—"

"I know you're scared, honey. But this isn't like plucking a flower...and it's already different from the last time." The words hung in the air between them, better left unsaid. Hook's body had rejected her offered heart while Regina's had accepted it without causing Emma any additional pain. Emma still refused to budge when they got close enough to push the remaining half inside her chest and Snow tilted her head to catch her daughter's eye, giving her a look full of faith. "You just have to believe."

Emma glanced back down at Regina, then nodded with a look of determination and pushed her hand back into her own chest to return the remaining half.

It was easy to ignore the jolting sensation of it going back inside when she was shocked speechless at Regina taking a deep, gasping breath of air like she'd come up from under water after drowning the moment the remaining half of Emma's heart was back in place.

"MOM!" Henry yelled again, this time in relief, and immediately hugged her as tight as he could manage while she was still lying on the ground, then quickly turned to squeeze Emma in a bear hug of her own. "You did it, Ma! You saved her!"

"You saved her," a voice from behind them said, sounding stunned. Henry helped Regina as she gingerly moved to sit up while Emma, David, and Snow's heads whipped in the direction of the person they hadn't realized had joined them at some point in the alley. "Why in the _bloody hell_ would that work for _her_ and not _me_?"

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	3. Your Apple Loving Mind

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Killian stormed off and Emma stubbornly crossed her arms and refused to do anything until Regina was checked over at the hospital. When Regina noticed The Queen's mysterious absence she matched Emma's stubbornness and refused to go anywhere other than to investigate.

Emma had won that argument by enlisting Snow's help with a lecture and Henry's with pleading puppy dog eyes and his natural concern until Regina had snapped _"Fine!"_ and given in.

Emma instructed her parents to take Henry and meet them at the hospital while she poofed Regina and herself there, and she hadn't left Regina's side since.

After ordering a nurse to immediately admit Regina, she had followed them to a private exam room and plopped down in the only chair, positioned across from Regina's hospital bed, and text her parents the room number. Once she read Regina their response that they would be in the waiting room with Henry until an update was available, she hadn't spoken much to anyone, too stuck in her own head to do more than nod or give mono-syllabic answers.

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The time was dragging on due to the extensive list of tests Whale had recommended and Emma had glared until Regina had sighed and agreed to. While waiting for the last set of lab work and MRI results to come back Regina had noted the time and asked Emma to have Snow and David take Henry to get something to eat and check on Baby Neal.

Emma text them quickly, then stuffed her phone back in the pocket of her jeans before wordlessly resuming staring at the wall ahead deep in thought, anxiously bouncing her leg, and biting a fingernail.

Regina finally gave into the stress of the day and closed her eyes, "I can hear you thinking from here." Emma hummed out a noise of acknowledgement but made no further effort to talk and Regina sighed, "Emma, I—"

Regina opened her eyes and closed her mouth immediately at the sound of the door being opened, but when she saw who was standing there she groaned. Emma tensed and Regina watched as her leg stopped bouncing and her knuckles turned white as she tightly gripped the arms of her chair.

"Swan," Hook said gently, hovering in the doorway, not fully entering the room. He cleared his throat, "I tried to call you. When you didn't answer I was worried."

Regina could see the muscles in Emma's jaw moving as she ground her teeth in frustration before standing, "I'll be right back, okay?"

Regina's lips were pursed as she nodded and Emma motioned for Hook to leave and followed him out the door, softly closing it behind her and crossing her arms.

"I said some things earlier when I should have bit my tongue and I wanted to apologize for them. I know I said if you walked out the door that would be my answer but seeing as how you magicked your way out I'm willing to be the generous man you know me as and oblige you that little loophole."

He wiggled his eyebrows teasingly and reached out from where he was leaned against the wall, looking cute and sorry, and tried to pull her closer with his hand on her hip, but frowned when she took a step back before he could touch her.

"I told you we'd discuss this later, Killian. I need space, I don't need you showing up everywhere I go and badgering me or making anymore scenes."

He stood up straight and Emma bristled watching as his posture and expression changed from playful and flirty and sweet to angry and bitter and spiteful, "Of course, luv. Will I have the pleasure of seeing you at our home later this evening? Seems as though we've got a lot to talk about."

"Look, I understand you're upset, but my family needs—"

"Your family," he cut her off, "or Regina?"

"Regina _is_ part of my family."

"Now, that's a curious thing, isn't it? That way you classify who your family is. Because _we_ ," he motioned between them with his hook, "are the ones supposed to be building a future together, right? But color me surprised when I noticed that every time you talk about your family you mean the lad, your parents, your brother... and Her Majesty. I'm nowhere on that list."

"Killian," Emma sighed, "I love you. I went to The Underworld to save you, I—"

"You did that for yourself just because you're afraid of being alone!"

Emma took another step back, shocked and hurt. It was him calling her an orphan all over again. He had managed to pinpoint the worst thing he could and use it against her, throwing it in her face just to hurt her.

She swallowed back tears and turned to leave, shaking her head in frustration, but was caught by his metal hook grabbing her by the bicep and yanking her back around.

Emma pulled her arm out of Hook's grasp, "You need to leave."

"So that's it then? This _conversation_ is over and you go back in there with her?"

"She died!" Emma threw her hands up in the air in frustration, "She's my best friend and the mother of my son and she fucking _died_ , Killian! So, yeah, I need to make sure she's okay. For her, and for our son, and, _yes_ , for our _family_... And, Jesus, for my _own_ fucking piece of mind, I need to do this! Why can't you just support me?!"

He leaned in close and lowered his voice menacingly, "Because you're supposed to be _my_ happy ending."

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.

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Regina felt residual traces of Emma's magic as she reentered the room, but she didn't open her eyes, feigning sleep so the blonde could have some semblance of privacy if she needed it.

"How much did you hear?"

"Just muffled arguing," she replied conversationally, eyes still shut. "The door is rather solid."

"Hmm."

"How did you know I was awake?"

"Because I know you."

Regina opened her eyes to see Emma slumped in her chair, the knuckles on her right hand bruised and scraped.

"Please tell me you punched him and not a wall."

"I punched a wall."

"Of course you did. Idiot," Regina sighed affectionately. "I felt your magic when you walked back in here. You couldn't have used it to fix _that_ ," she motioned at Emma’s knuckles, "while you were doing whatever it was you were doing out there?"

"I poofed him to the docks and _then_ I punched the wall."

"I'm beginning to miss the days where you would threaten to punch everyone who upset you in the face," she smirked and extended her hand, motioning for Emma's. "Let me see."

"You shouldn't do magic until Whale clears you. I'll survive."

"As will I. Now give me your hand."

Emma made no effort to move at all, she simply fixed Regina with an angry glare, any hint of playful banter long gone. "Today you almost didn't. You died, Regina."

"No," Regina frowned, "I—"

"You _died_. I had to watch as The Queen ripped your heart out and crushed it. Henry and my parents ran out of the diner to find you on the ground."

"But I... No, that's not..." Her face scrunched in confusion, "I thought Henry woke me up?"

"It wasn't True Love's Kiss."

"Then how did—"

"I split my heart."

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.

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"WHAT?!"

"I split my heart," Emma repeated factually, devoid of emotion.

Regina sat up fully and pulled the blankets off her legs, then turned so her feet were free to dangle off the bed and jumped down. She didn't get very far before Emma had shot to her feet and when the blonde tried to gently guide her back into bed Regina shoved her hard.

"You _idiot_! I can't believe you would—"

"You would have done the same exact thing Regina, so don't even start!"

"Do you have _any idea_ what this means?!"

Emma gave a wry chuckle, "I've got a pretty good idea of what it means."

"No," Regina snapped, pointing a stern finger at her. "It cannot mean that. I refuse to let it mean... _that_."

"Look, I'm sorry I'm not your _soulmate_ , but I—"

"That has nothing to do with it!" Regina stomped her foot in frustration and quickly brushed her fingers through her hair. "You already thought you had a death sentence, Emma! What do you think this is? You _cannot_ love me. I won't allow it."

Emma was too mad to think far enough in advance to sensor herself before she snapped, "Well too fucking bad, lady, because that's been a long time coming."

Regina's eyes widened and she froze, "What?"

"I mean, I... We..." Emma groaned and nervously tucked some hair behind her ear. "Just get back in bed! What the fuck is taking Whale so long?!"

.

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Emma had all but sprinted out of the room, returning less than 10 minutes later with Whale practically dragged in behind her.

"Everything came back perfectly normal, Regina," he told them after smoothing out the lab coat Emma had wrinkled with her manhandling. "You're free to go."

"Say no more," she jumped out of the bed again and with a wave of her hand changed out of the scrubs they'd given her when she'd been admitted and back into the dress she'd arrived in. "Thank you for your services and have a good night, Dr. Whale. I'm going home." She grabbed her purse and slipped her coat on, making her way for the door and stopping Emma with a hand to the chest she quickly yanked away when the blonde tried to follow. "No. Not you. _I_ am going home _by myself_."

Emma shot her an unimpressed look, "You can't be serious."

"Oh, I am. Goodnight, Emma." Regina started to walk away and with a subtle twitch of her fingers glued Emma's boots to the floor. Emma's feet locked in place suddenly and she jerked forward, muttering expletives under her breath as she wiggled her own fingers and unstuck herself, then raced to catch up to Regina and scowled when the brunette started throwing directions over her shoulder like she had been expecting her all along and this was just any other normal day where she would be bossing Emma around. "If Henry wishes to stay with you he may, though considering the events of the day I think he will probably ask to go with me. I will leave the decision up to the two of you to come to an agreement on, I only ask that should he stay with you, you please have him call me before he goes to bed so I can say goodnight."

"Regina, you are out of your apple loving mind if you think I'm letting you go _any-fucking-where_ by yourself right now."

Regina pushed the button for the elevator and turned to face Emma, crossing her arms stubbornly, "You just left me by myself when you went on a manhunt for my doctor."

"He was taking forever!"

"Regardless," Regina held up a hand to silence her. "I do not need your protection."

"You are literally _in the hospital_  _right now_ because your heart was ripped out and crushed the second The Queen got you alone."

"I will be fine, Emma, go home to your fiancé."

"You are _such_ an asshole sometimes."

Regina continued, unphased, "I will not be another obligation to you. I assure you that as soon as I can figure out a solution to our...situation, I will fix this."

The elevator doors dinged open and Regina walked inside followed closely by Emma. Just as the doors were about to close Regina slipped out and the remaining space left open was just wide enough for Emma to stick her arm through. As the doors opened back up Emma was met with the sight of fading purple smoke.

"Asshole!"

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	4. Temporarily Evaded

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Emma had a lot of hunches on where Regina could have vanished off to, but no time to waste on a guessing game with The Queen still M.I.A., so she poofed to her parents' loft for help.

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"Do you know where Regina is?"

David shot to his feet from the couch when she appeared without warning, Baby Neal in his arms, and Snow startled in the kitchen where she was making tea.

Henry ran down the stairs having heard her voice and smiled, "Hey, Ma." He paused at the last step and looked around, "Where's Mom?"

"That's the million dollar question, kid."

"You lost Regina?"

Emma frowned at David's wording, "I didn't _lose_ her. She...temporarily evaded me." She started to pace, "I already checked Find My iPhone. She must have put it on airplane mode because it says unavailable. I was gonna try the vault next, maybe her office? The mansion seemed too obvious. You think I could convince Zelena to give me some of her blood? Maybe I could do a locator sp—"

"Oh, Emma." Snow's sigh sounded vaguely amused. "Just trust your heart."

Emma rolled her eyes, "Just because we share a heart now doesn't mean I will always fi—" She paused, startled as realization dawned on her. Regina and her did already have the habit of always finding each other, even in the past and the author's alternate timeline. She shut her eyes tightly, took a deep breath, and summoned her magic. A blurry image of Regina appeared with indiscernible black scenery surrounding her. Emma studied Regina's face as it came into focus and felt a calm wash over herself even as the image of the background ran on fast forward around the brunette, scenery gaining color and light and flickering until a clear picture was in her mind and she knew where to go. "Got it, thanks!"

Without another word or any sign of explanation Emma waved her hands and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

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She poofed behind Regina at the well and the brunette sighed in defeat.

"How the hell did you find me here?"

"I don't know if you remember, but finding people was kind of my job in Boston."

Regina whipped around, not bothering to hide the tears in her eyes, "You have made some truly imbecilic decisions over the years, Emma Swan, but this is _by far_ the stupidest thing you have ever done. I told you, in order to stop The Evil Queen, I would have to die. I asked you to keep your family safe and you promised me you would!"

"I did!"

"How can you keep them safe if you're dead?!"

"HOW CAN YOU?!" Emma fired back, throwing her hands up in frustration. "I get you want to prove you're a hero now, to our son and my parents and this town and even yourself. But here's the thing, Regina... Martyrdom is not heroism. When we were in the mirror you said we were gonna do this together! You said we were done sacrificing ourselves!"

"And what exactly do you think splitting your heart is?"

"One of the easiest decisions I've ever had to make!"

"You were so concerned about your vision being a death sentence hanging over your head and yet you willingly signed yourself up for another one! I have never asked you to be anything more than Emma, and I don't need a savior now."

Emma scowled, "That's not fair. You know that's not—"

Regina didn't wait for Emma to finish her argument before waving her hands and disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke.

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Emma didn't give her a chance to go far, quickly using her new trick to track Regina down and marching towards her once she poofed to the docks.

"Stop doing that!"

"Stop following me!"

"Listen, you royal pain in the ass, I did not do this out of some _savior_ obligation."

"Why did you do it then," Regina tossed back sarcastically, "because you love me?"

"Yes."

Regina startled out of whatever argument she was planning on using next and Emma found some small satisfaction in leaving her momentarily speechless.

"That's...not possible."

"I’m pretty sure that’s the exact same argument I used about fairytales existing."

"No," Regina pointed sternly. "You don't get to be flippant about this." They'd been vague, carefully dancing around the subject, but Regina was too angry to care anymore, "We do _not_ share True Love."

Emma narrowed her eyes and studied Regina for a moment.

"You're full of shit," Emma gave a wry chuckle. "I always know when you're lying."

"That so-called superpower is spotty, at best."

"It's not just my gut telling me anymore, it's my heart now too."

"That's preposterous," Regina shook her head. "We both just have very powerful magic and you, as the Savior and product of True Love, must have channeled something into—"

Emma moved closer, ignoring Regina's list of excuses and reached out her hand, hesitating before she could touch Regina's chest. She dropped her hand and gently took Regina's instead, turning it slightly so it was palm side up, and placed an index and middle finger on the inside of the wrist, just below her thumb, and pressed down slightly. The rhythmic beating beneath the skin was comforting and she allowed herself a deep, calming breath after her heart skipped a beat and then fell into sync with Regina's.

"Sorry," Emma mumbled, finally releasing her, and Regina immediately missed the warmth.

While she had been anxiously spacing out at the hospital the sound of Regina's heart rate on the monitors was a soothing reminder that she was okay and it helped Emma, who was still upset at the thought of losing her.

"We can't," Regina couldn't hold back the tears shining in her eyes anymore and she quickly wiped them away, frustrated. "This working," she tapped her wrist where Emma had just checked her pulse, "doesn't have to mean anything we don't want it to mean."

"You're right," Emma nodded, refusing to back down. "So what do you want it to mean?"

"I don't want you to die, and that's what it will mean if you love me," Regina's voice cracked.

"Hey," Emma tried to rush forward to embrace Regina as the brunette started to sob, but Regina held up a hand to keep her back. Emma ducked her head and stuffed her hands in her pockets, "We'll figure it out, together. We always do."

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	5. Maybe I Need You, Too

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Regina took a deep breath to compose herself and wiped away the tears, then gave a short nod and Emma wasn't sure if it meant Regina agreed with what she said or if the brunette was just convincing herself she was okay.

"It's been a very long day, we should just go home and get some rest." When Emma's eyes widened Regina realized the implication she had inadvertently made, "I will go home... After getting our son from your parents' home.... And then we will go home together. He and I. Not you. You are going to your own home. With your pirate." Having sufficiently embarrassed herself she gave up trying to salvage her meaning or dignity and abandoned the conversation altogether, waving a hand to transport herself to the loft, "Goodnight, Emma."

"Actually," Emma darted forward and Regina immediately lowered her hand. "Do you mind if I..." She shrugged shyly, "Is it okay if I crash with you tonight?" Regina's eyebrow raised. "I mean... Not like that. I meant in the guest room. Obviously. Or the couch. Whatever.... Nevermind, I should just go."

She turned and made three quick strides away before Regina sighed, "Come along, Miss Swan."

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"Stop pacing. You look deranged and you're scuffing my floors," Regina chided but the words couldn't quite hold an edge with her soft tone and the fact that she was holding comfy PJs.

"But what if—"

"I'll be fine. You know she can't get in here."

Regina had instructed Emma to do a blood magic barrier spell as soon as they arrived at the mansion with Henry. It was pointless to do one herself and almost everyone she loved shared Emma's blood anyway.

"I know," she nodded with a frown. "I know that. It's just..."

Emma watched as Regina's eyes softened and wondered if she'd always looked at her like that.

Regina took a step closer and looked like she wanted to say something but smiled gently instead before reaching around Emma, careful to avoid touching her, and opened the door to the guest bedroom with one hand and pressed the pajamas she had conjured into Emma's with the other.

Emma looked down at the soft flannel pants, tank top, and old hoodie with a smile. It was definitely an outfit she wore on a regular basis when she was cold and needed something comfortable to layer up in, but she couldn't recall Regina ever seeing her in it.

Regina motioned in the room with a nod of her head, "Get some sleep. It's nothing we can't handle tomorrow."

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Something felt off and Emma couldn't tell what it was that was nagging at her. She normally enjoyed her privacy but that night after she was ready for bed she left the door to the guest bedroom open and climbed under the covers listening to every unfamiliar creak of the mansion as the wind rustled outside and Regina said goodnight to their son in the room across the hall.

"I think I'm probably too old to have my mom tucking me in."

Emma chuckled softly picturing the little shit's face and the matching smirk Regina no doubt wore. It was quiet for a moment and Emma allowed herself to picture the kind of casual affection Regina often showed their son, certain it was happening in the quiet room now, imagining the brunette gently stroking Henry's cheek and cupping his chin before brushing his hair off his forehead with gentle fingers.

"I'm sorry if I worried you today, Henry."

"I understand. I saw you leave the diner."

"You're far too observant," the adoration she felt was evident in her voice.

"Who's fault is that?" he teased back in response.

"Your other mother's, of course," Regina chuckled. "Get some sleep," she instructed him with the same words and the same soft voice she had used on Emma. "I love you, my not-so-little prince."

"I love you too, mom." There was a pause and Emma knew Regina was kissing his forehead and tucking him in. Regardless of his age or size, or teasing about being too grown up for those sorts of things, he would always be her baby. "Can we have breakfast with Grandma and Grandpa tomorrow?"

"Of course, sweetheart."

"Stuffed french toast?"

"Perhaps. You'll have to ask Emma what she'd like if she's still here in the morning."

"You think she'll leave before then?"

Emma could tell he was frowning with a pained expression by the way he sounded almost wounded at the thought.

"I'm not sure, Henry," Regina answered honestly with a sigh. "We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?"

"Yeah, I guess."

The bed creaked as Regina stood up from where she'd been perched on the edge, "It's been a long day. You may read for an hour before bed, but no screens."

"I know," he responded, sounding every bit the long-suffering teenager once again. "My phone's already charging over there."

"Good boy." Emma heard his door being closed and Regina softly wishing Henry a goodnight and sweet dreams before it clicked shut.

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Regina made a loop downstairs as she did habitually every night, ensuring all of the mansion's doors and windows were locked and all the lights were turned off.

Emma wanted to tell her she'd already done that half a dozen times before conjuring her gun which was now stored in the top drawer of the night stand beside her.

Instead she faked nonchalance and began playing a game on her phone as Regina paused outside the doorway with a teasing smirk, "I believe you heard the rules, Miss Swan. You may read for an hour before bed, but no screens."

Emma rolled her eyes and had to physically resist the urge to smile, "You're not the boss of me."

"Mayor," Regina pointed at herself. "Sheriff," she pointed at Emma. "I believe that means I am, actually."

"I'm off the clock."

"Fine," Regina waved her hand dismissively. "Rot what few brain cells remain with silly apps you have to squint at to see because you're tired. See if I care."

"Oh my god, you totally do," Emma laughed, her lie detector and their new connection backing up her suspicion.

Regina ignored her, not confirming or denying anything with a simple, "Goodnight, Emma."

"'Night, Gina."

As Regina walked down the hallway towards her own room Emma felt the sense of unease creep back in. Her lips tilted up into a small, shy smile though when her glasses fell on her lap out of thin air, conjured by the brunette who claimed she didn't care about her straining eyesight.

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She couldn't sleep. She couldn't fight the feeling of dread and stress and longing that had washed over her once she was alone in the quiet house. She played games on her phone, checked her email, read some articles on stupid websites, and watched funny YouTube videos. It was a little after two in the morning and nothing could distract her long enough to turn off the whirring in her brain so she could get some sleep.

She was almost glad she was still awake when she heard the tossing and turning coming from the room across the hall. She thought nothing of it at first, assuming Henry was a growing boy that needed a bigger bed and just wasn't comfortable in his current one. But when he started to whimper she leapt out of bed from under the covers still draped over herself and rushed to his door, yanking it open quickly.

"Hey, kid," she knelt by his bed and shook his arm gently. "Wake up, Hen."

His eyes popped open and he immediately turned to curl into her when he saw her, his chest heaving with deep, panicked breaths. She could feel the sweat on his shirt as she rubbed his back soothingly.

"Momma?" He asked confused, no doubt forgetting she was staying the night there in his half-asleep state.

"It's okay. It was just a dream."

"Mom's okay, right?"

"Yeah, kid. Your mom is okay."

"You're going to protect her, right?"

Emma nodded solemnly, "We always protect each other."

"Can I..." he sat up and pushed the covers back before stepping around her, out of bed. "I just want to check on her. Will you come with me?"

Emma squeezed his shoulder as a sign of support and followed him to the master bedroom door, not wanting to scare him further by admitting out loud that she felt the same.

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Regina had been struggling to get comfortable as soon as she closed her bedroom door and the sense of calm and inner peace she was waiting for was chased far away when her door opened back up a little after two in the morning.

Light from the hallway, which she distinctly recalled turning off before retiring for the evening, spilled in through a small crack in the now open door and she immediately sat up straight when she saw Henry's worried face.

"Henry? What's wrong?"

He was still half asleep and didn't feel embarrassed to admit, "I had a bad dream."

"Come here, sweetheart," she stood up and grabbed her robe off the back of the chaise lounge where she'd left it earlier and pulled it on, the very definition of a worried mother. "Do you want to talk about it?" She wasn't surprised when he wordlessly shook his head. "Would you like some tea?"

He shook his head again, "Can you do what you used to when I was little and had a bad dream?"

"Of course, sweetheart," she said softly. "Lie down, I'll be back shortly."

Regina made her way out the door and paused when she saw Emma biting her fingernail and pacing once again in the hallway. She looked up immediately when Regina got close.

"Did he say what it was?"

"No, he just said it was a bad dream."

"He was pretty shaken. He called me 'Momma'."

"Did he wake you?"

"No, he started to whine and it was pretty quiet out here."

"You haven't slept yet?"

Emma wordlessly shook her head no and Regina was struck by a sudden rush of affection when she realized Henry had just done the same thing moments earlier.

"When he was smaller I would make him some cocoa and allow him to drink it in bed while I read him a story if he had a bad dream."

Emma smiled softly thinking of the false memories Regina had given her during Pan's curse, "I remember."

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She followed Regina down the stairs to the kitchen and watched quietly as the brunette flitted about throwing high quality ingredients together.

"That looks better than the microwaved milk and packet of pre-made hot cocoa powder I would have mixed up for him," she chuckled self deprecatingly.

Regina ladled some into a mug and topped it with whipped cream and cinnamon, then slid it across the counter to where Emma sat before silently moving back where Emma hadn't noticed a second mug was waiting for Henry's serving.

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She paused in the hall when Regina slipped into Henry's room and returned a moment later with a book taken off one of his shelves. Her lips tilted up in a smile when she noticed the cover. _Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince._

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Henry was struggling to keep his eyes open when they returned to Regina's room. Emma paused in the doorway, never having entered there before and not wanting to intrude on Regina's personal space. Regina was oblivious, moving to the side of the bed Henry had taken over to hand him his drink.

"Thanks, mom."

"Well," Emma said suddenly from the doorway, ducking her head shyly and tucking her hair behind her ear with her free hand, "thanks for the cocoa. And goodnight, again."

"You don't want me to read you a bedtime story too?" Regina teased lightly.

"C'mon, Ma," Henry scooted to the center of the bed and patted the space he'd left open for her.

Emma hesitated, her face showing a mixture of longing and nervousness.

Regina bit her lip and narrowed her eyes, studying Emma for a moment, then nodded as if reaching a decision about something. She pulled off her robe and dropped it back over the chaise before taking her normal side of the bed and looking pointedly between the still empty side Henry was patting once again and back at Emma.

"I don't want to intrude."

"I don't believe you'd be here at all if that's what I thought you were doing." She turned her attention to Henry, allowing Emma a moment to decide without any pressure. "Shall we start at the beginning or where we left off last time?"

She smiled in relief but didn't call any attention to the moment Emma pulled back the blankets and joined them.

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Regina's voice was soothing and it didn't surprise Emma when Henry fell asleep against Regina, leaned against her so she could run her fingers through his hair absentmindedly while she read. She didn't notice his steady breathing at first and kept going with the story and Emma found the moment so relaxing and sweet she couldn't bring herself to end it.

At the beginning of the next chapter Regina looked down to find Henry sleeping and gently took the now empty mug he was cradling against his chest out of his hand and placed it on her night stand, then pulled one of the pillows he had used to prop himself up out from behind his head and reclined his body until he was relaxed flat on his back.

Emma watched as Regina looked down lovingly at Henry, then looked up at her without the expression ever changing.

"You look relaxed," Regina noted, studying Emma once again. "When was the last time you slept?"

Emma shrugged. With the stress of The Queen and The Underworld and The Darkness and every day Savior/Sheriff responsibilities she couldn't remember the last time she felt rested.

"I guess it's been a while."

"You looked terrible earlier."

"Gee, thanks," Emma rolled her eyes. "Your heart was crushed and you died. I was worried. What would you prefer I look like?"

"You need to take care of yourself."

"I am."

"Are you?" Regina challenged with a frown.

Emma sighed and scrubbed her hands over her face, "It's late. I should get back to the guest room."

As she started to pull the blankets back so she could crawl out from under them a gentle hand on her upper arm stopped her.

"You looked relaxed. Stay."

Regina worded it as a command but her brown eyes silently pleaded for Emma not to go.

Emma’s longing returned full force, but she still felt herself hesitating. "I don't want to force you to do something you're not comfortable with just so I can rest."

"Maybe I need you, too."

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	6. The Lateness of the Hour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your comments. I apologize for the lateness of the hour, I didn't mean to take so long to post an update. The holidays and some illness caused a forced hiatus. (6x10 also caused me to die and ascend but we'll get into that later haha) The name of this chapter is based off a wonderful album by Alex Clare, a snippet from the chapter as usual, and a nod to my apology for keeping you waiting so long. I'm going to be taking some liberties with season 6, which you'll start noticing in this chapter if you haven't already, and I've updated the tags for this story. I hope you continue to enjoy and leave feedback. More soon to come...

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_"Maybe I need you, too."_

Emma froze at Regina's unexpected admission. She nodded silently, too nervous to trust herself to speak, and gave in immediately. She shifted to return to her previous position beside Henry while Regina placed the book on her night stand, next to the mug she had pulled out of Henry's loose grasp, and turned off the low light of her bedside lamp. The room was instantly bathed in darkness and Regina heard Emma gulp in the quiet room.

Regina didn't comment on Emma's nerves, feeling some herself at their close proximity. To say they had a lot to discuss would be an understatement. The words hung heavily over them and not knowing what else to do, or where to begin if she would even dare to say anything, Emma sighed and rolled over.

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The room was quiet and though the cold wind had been whipping outside the heat inside Regina's room was enough to be comforting, not stifling... Unlike the tension still hanging over both sides of the bed with an unaware boy between.

The room was quiet other than the snoring coming from that unaware boy and the shuffling coming from his blonde mother.

Emma rolled over with a huff for what Regina would later claim had to be a record of approximately one thousand times in under an hour and Emma would later roll her eyes at and deny.

When the sheets and blankets started rustling again as Emma flopped onto her back Regina sighed and as menacingly as possible while talking in a whisper threatened, "If you move _one more time_ I swear there will be a sleeping curse in your immediate future." Emma rolled onto her side to face Regina with a scowl but stayed quiet. Regina looked up at the ceiling like she was waiting for divine intervention, a burst of additional patience, a bottle of NyQuil, temporary deafness, any sort of assistance before sighing when she accepted none would come and gritting her teeth with an attempt at calm reasoning, "Just try to relax like you were earlier."

Emma narrowed her eyes, continuing to scowl, and whispered back, "What do you think I've been doing?"

"Your best imitation of a sock in a dryer," Regina replied dryly causing Emma to roll her eyes.

"Sorry," she muttered quietly with a visible pout.

"Honestly," Regina sighed. "I've had easier nights putting Henry to bed as a toddler and he tried working that same pout twice as hard when chastised."

"Don't act like it didn't work."

"Then, perhaps. Now, no." She fixed Emma with a look that promised, at the bare minimum, physical harm if she were to be tested before whispering in a way Emma would later classify as _hisspering_ , "Go to sleep!"

"Fine."

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Regina was just starting to finally give in to her exhaustion when she heard Emma's admittedly quieter, yet still too noisy given the lateness of the hour, frustrated groan.

"Emma," Regina whispered and her tone didn't hold the same bite it did earlier when she snapped out of frustration. This tone was soft, warm affection in a tired, raspy voice that made Emma's stomach do somersaults.

"I'm sorry."

"What do you need?" Regina asked sincerely and though her eyes were still closed she heard the sound of rustling and knew Emma had shrugged.

Without a word she reached over Henry's snoring figure, acting on instinct to provide Emma with the comfort she needed to relax and sleep. When her fingers found Emma's shoulder she gently tugged, rolling Emma back on her side so they were facing each other again, then ran her fingers gently down the soft fabric of the hoodie covering Emma's arm till she reached the blonde's wrist. She pulled Emma's hand by the wrist back over Henry's sleeping body towards herself and slowly brought it to rest against her chest.

Emma let out a soft gasp and Regina kept her eyes closed, still tired but really just not wanting to see Emma's reaction or show the vulnerability in her own. She gently placed her hand over Emma's and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

As their hearts started to pump in sync they both felt their breathing slow and a soothing calm wash over them.

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"Our kid's lucky," Emma mumbled dreamily. "You're a really good mom."

Regina peered out of bloodshot eyes and was speechless at the sight before her. The gentle sunlight of dawn was ghosting in the window, caressing Emma's peacefully sleeping form in a way that made it look like she was glowing.

Regina couldn't find it in her to be angry she was woken up again and had to resist the urge to reach out and run her fingers through Emma's hair. She wanted nothing more than to tuck some of the blonde locks behind her ear and caress her face the way the sun was.

She tightened the loose grip she had fallen asleep with instead and gave Emma's hand another gentle squeeze before drifting back to sleep.

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Emma woke up to the sound of the door bell. She lifted her head from soft pillows and cracked an eye open, taking in her surroundings. She was in Regina's room still, but she was alone.

Regina's robe was on the back of the chaise and Henry's socks were on the floor but when she stretched her arm out she felt the rest of the unoccupied bed was cold to the touch.

The curtains had been closed to keep the morning sunlight out, so she reached for her phone in the pocket of her flannel pajama pants to check the time, then realized it was still in the guest room.

She dropped her head back down into the pillows and closed her eyes, stretching lazily and contemplating going back to sleep when the door bell was rung three more times in quick succession.

With a groan she rolled out of bed.

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She had seen the way her parents passed through the line of the blood magic barrier spell and the way Zelena had stopped abruptly as though hitting a pane of glass the last time Regina instructed her to put one up. She knew unless tied to her by genetics if anyone wanted to cross the threshold into Regina's home after she had performed the same spell the night before they would need to be pulled across the boundary line by the performer of the spell or the owner of the protected property, namely herself or Regina. She also knew her parents might ring the door bell once, but after that they would just let themselves in, so whoever was at the door now was not someone Regina wanted on the other side of it.

Her suspicions were confirmed as she made her way down the stair case and heard bickering.

"I'm sorry, but until Emma is awake there's just no way you'll be able to enter. Blood magic spell, I don't want to bore you with the details. I'm sure someone will call to let you know once she is available."

"Regina," David sighed and Hook could be heard grumbling and pounding on the other side of the front door after Regina closed it in his face. "We know you can let him in."

"You don't know anything."

Snow gave her an unimpressed look that probably worked on her students but only partially worked on the former queen, "Regina."

"Well it's not as though I gave her a sleeping curse! She's bound to rise from the dead soon, especially with all that racket he's making."

"You did, technically, threaten me with one in the last 24 hours," Emma pointed out, now close enough to join the conversation.

Regina merely rolled her eyes and muttered "the inmates are running the asylum" before yanking the door open and startling Killian who had his hand raised ready to start pounding on the surface of it again. "Stop that," she ordered and reached out from behind the safety of her threshold and yanked the pirate in her house by the lapel of his long, black leather overcoat, then dramatically wiped the hand she had touched him with down the sleeve of David's shirt.

"Hey!"

"Well?" Regina questioned Hook's presence with that one word and a lift of one eyebrow, ignoring David's whining in the process.

"I was searching the pawn shop and—"

"Why?" She demanded curiously, cutting him off.

"The Dark One was ransacking his own property, obviously looking for something important."

"So?" Emma shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest.

"He's so particular about where everything is and in what condition, it sounds like he was pretty desperate for whatever it was he wanted," David reasoned.

"Aye," Hook nodded and Regina narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"So what was he looking for?"

"I don't know—"

"So helpful, as always," Regina rolled her eyes.

Undeterred, Hook ignored her and continued, locking eyes with Emma, "—but I did find something I thought you might want." He pulled his overcoat to the side revealing a sword sheathed in a scabbard strapped to his hip. Emma gasped, immediately recognizing the red jewel set in the half circle of silver at the end of the grip and pommel that made the unique design unmistakable. "Is this...?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "That's the sword that will kill me."

Snow frowned, "Why would it be in the pawn shop?"

"That doesn't matter right now," Regina decided immediately. "Maybe now that it's in our possession we can find out who's responsible."

"The figure under the hood."

"Yeah," Emma replied again giving Hook another nod. "And maybe we can find out how to stop them."

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	7. No One Is Wielding Anything

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone else think it's fucked that every pregnant chick on this show gets her pregnancy messed with? Anyone else think it was OOC for Emma to swing at EQ outside the vault? Anyone else think it was OOC for The Charming Gang--especially Emma and Henry--to be so hurtful towards EQ, up to and including death? Good, glad we're all on the same page. If not, the next few chapters might not be for you.

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"Do you really think you've got something in your vault that can destroy it?" Hook asked, more than a hint of doubt in his tone as he marched towards said vault with Regina and Emma. 

The brunette rolled her eyes and spoke slowly, as if talking to a moron, which...

"We don't want to _destroy_ it. We want to _understand_ it."

"It's fated to kill her!"

"The hooded figure who uses it is fated to kill me," Emma corrected. "We need to figure out who that is."

"And then we can worry about _destroying_ things," Regina added, leaving no doubt for how she planned on dealing with Emma's would-be assassin. 

Hook seemed momentarily appeased but stopped in his tracks when he noticed the figure crouching over the headstone with the same lion marking as a tattoo that pixie dust indicated belonged to Regina's soulmate.

"Bloody hell."

"Get away from him!" Regina shrieked and started running toward her evil double. 

"Don't worry," The Queen rose gingerly, "I'm not here to desecrate Robin's final resting place. I loved him, too, you know." Her somber appearance quickly turned mocking. "Loved," she purred with a wink at Emma, "past tense. Losing Robin Hood was the _best_ thing that ever happened to us. It pushed you to liberate _me_. To free me from the prison of your self-loathing. And now I can do what you never could."

Emma shifted in place beside Regina, feeling tension creep up her spine knowing The Queen was purposely pushing the other woman's buttons, "Regina, don't let her get to you."

"It's too late," Regina muttered darkly, not breaking eye contact with The Queen as she threateningly conjured a ball of fire in the palm of her hand. 

"What are you going to do," The Queen merely chuckled condescendingly in response and with a wave of her hand extinguished the flame, "throw a fireball at yourself? The only way to hurt me is to hurt you, which is why your friends won't be able to stop me." Her self-satisfied smirk didn't falter as she slowly dragged her eyes over Emma, "Love is weakness."

Infuriated by what she was less than subtly implying, Hook yanked the sword out of the scabbard still strapped to his side and swung it with a growl.

"Killian, no!" Emma yelled, darting forward to try and stop him as The Queen took a startled step back, narrowly missed a deathly blow from the blade, instead receiving a minor cut to the cheek. It was not deep enough to do any permanent damage, but it did break the skin and leave an angry red line and a faint trail of blood. The Queen's eyes widened and she gingerly touched the injury with the tips of her fingers, stumbling back as Regina did the same. "Are you okay?" Emma gasped, looking between them before focusing her attention on Regina and the hand she had yet to pull away from her face.

Regina finally lifted her hand, bringing it forward to inspect her gloved fingers, as surprised as Emma to note a lack of blood.

"I'm...fine."

The Queen looked shocked as well before gathering her wits enough to wave her hand over her face. When the wound didn't heal she frowned and tried again, hoping to at least be able to glamor the injury, which also failed.

Seizing the moment Killian lunged forward with a grunt, but before the sword could slice her again she vanished in a cloud of dark purple smoke.

"What the fuck!" Emma shouted, pushing Hook hard with a shove against his chest before taking a step into his personal space to yank the sword from his good hand.

"We can kill her!" Hook shouted back, defensively justifying his actions and releasing the weapon without a struggle.

"He's right."

Emma's head whipped back to Regina who was frozen in place with wide eyes. 

"Are you sure you're okay? Because that's got to be on the top five list of things no one would ever expect you to say about him."

Hook nodded in agreement, unable to deny that while Emma was admittedly being sarcastic, she was still correct. Regina didn't move or roll her eyes or snark back though, leaving Emma surprised and worried.

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Emma pulled Hook over the threshold with a distracted glance back when he hit the invisible barrier with an _umpf_ once again upon returning to the mansion. She was focused solely on Regina as the woman silently lead them inside to share their discovery with Snow and David who had stayed behind with Henry and Neal.

"So it can hurt The Evil Queen without hurting Regina?" David questioned, his brow furrowed as he asked for clarification.

"I'm not taking that risk," Emma shook her head immediately. "The cut might not have transferred this time, but that doesn't guarantee anything."

"If it means stopping her then it's worth the risk," Regina insisted. "The Evil Queen needs to die."

"Would you be acting so nonchalant about this kind of risk if I was still The Dark One and it was me who might get killed?" Emma challenged.

"That's neither here nor there," Regina dismissively waved her hand as though batting away Emma's entire argument. 

"You're not dying," Emma crossed her arms with finality, "so neither is The Queen."

"You were born for this," Hook tried to remind her as gently as possible but he felt himself losing his cool. "To destroy The Evil Queen and bring back the happy endings. You can stop her. That sword can save all of us."

"That sword," Regina yelled, pointing at it from where it came to rest when Emma flung it down on the kitchen counter when they started talking to her parents, "is what kills her! I agree that someone needs to end this... To end _The Queen_. But not Emma."

"Who then?! It's her destiny as Savior!"

"How do you know this isn't how she dies? Facing The Queen." Regina's anger turned bitter, "There's a reason I'm not in her vision."

Emma glared at Regina, "Oh, so we can afford to play it safe when it comes to my future being threatened but when it's you who might be a casualty then let's just throw caution to the wind?"

"Does it have to be Emma?" Snow stepped in while David took a call on his cell phone in the next room, hoping to stop the yelling before it could escalate any further now that the vein in Regina's forehead had appeared, Emma's cheeks had pinked with anger, and the two women stubbornly glared at each other in frustration. "Hook was the one to cut her at the vault, right? Couldn't someone else wield the sword and defeat her?"

"No one is wielding anything!" When Regina opened her mouth to protest Emma cut her off, "Did you forget about our _'situation'_?" She sarcastically used air quotes on the phrasing Regina had used in the hospital before ditching Emma on the elevator. When Regina continued staring blankly, refusing to give in, Emma pulled out the big guns. "What happens when you're hurt during this suicide mission? We share a heart now. Do you think I'm just gonna waltz away from that?"

Regina rolled her eyes, though the rest of her body language signaled Emma had won this round as the fight was now out of her, unwilling to put the blonde in any danger. She didn't expressly admit defeat, instead defiantly murmuring, "I very much doubt you know how to waltz."

David rushed back into the room, "That was Leroy. The Evil Queen was spotted headed down Main Street."

"All right," Regina nodded. "Let's go."

"No," Emma shook her head immediately and as the others made their way out the door she moved to block Regina's path. "I've got this."

She picked up the sword from where she'd left it on the counter and closed her eyes with a wince, dropping it again with a thud to the floor this time when the sound of metal clanged loudly in her ears and the vision played once again in her mind.

When her eyes opened she was greeted to the sight of Regina giving her a concerned look that quickly turned to a frown when Emma bent down to retrieve the sword with a shaking hand and the brunette realized what had happened.

"Ah, yes, Sheriff Swan. Your tremors fill me with nothing but confidence. I am beyond convinced that you've _'got this'_." Regina's worry caused her to mock Emma's use of air quotes against her with a petty retaliation doing the same thing before wrapping one of her arms protectively over her mid-section.

Emma recognized the movement as defensive posturing and felt guilty enough to ask in a low voice, "Please?" Regina pursed her lips and dropped her head, attempting to shake the painful sight of sad, green eyes from her mind. Hook returned to see what was delaying Emma and stopped, moving back in the doorway to discreetly watch as Emma stepped closer to Regina and gently tugged the wrist of the arm still wrapped around the brunette's waist towards herself. She clasped it protectively in both of her hands and cradled it against her chest like Regina had done for her the night before, letting the steady beating of her heart bring the other woman comfort. "Please?" She asked again after a quiet moment, softer this time, and Regina felt her resolve breaking. "Stay with Henry and Neal. There's enough shit going on right now, and...if I know you're all safe under the same roof it will be one less thing for me to worry about."

Regina's normal sense of self-preservation when it came to Emma Swan and matters of the heart seemed to be failing her more every day as she asked, barely above a whisper, "Don't I deserve some peace of mind as well?"

"My parents will be with me. And Hook," she added, feeling guilty when she realized she often mentioned him like an afterthought, oblivious to the fact he was listening in. 

"How comforting," Regina rolled her eyes and Emma chuckled. 

"It'll be fine." She ducked her head so she could catch Regina's eye, trying to reassure her by adding quietly, "I'll be fine."

Regina simply hummed in response and let her eyes wander as she studied the serious look on Emma's face before finally relenting with a quick nod of her head and a sigh, "Be careful."

"I will," Emma nodded back and reluctantly released Regina's hands only when the brunette started to pull away, allowing herself to be indulgent and slowly trail the pad of her thumb along the inside of Regina's wrist. "Take care of this thing for me," she teased with the little mischievous smirk Regina adored and a quick tap to the pulse point.

"Of course," Regina replied immediately before wishing the blonde good luck and earning a soft smile in return.

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	8. The Cat to the Charming Gang's Canary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know...I've been a very bad fic author! I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update, I took an unintentional mid-season hiatus haha. I will be updating regularly again, starting......... Now!

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As Emma marched down Main Street flanked by her parents on one side, her boyfriend on the other, and the sword that could possibly bring about her demise in her hand, she couldn't help but think about another sheriff that marched across town to disband an outlaw and became part of a massacre in Tombstone, Arizona. 

She shook her head trying to clear her mind of the morbid thoughts—because, frankly, she had enough rolling around in there thanks to her visions of the sword—and clenched her jaw in fierce determination. 

At the cry for help she took off in a sprint, bursting in the door to Granny's followed closely by her own O.K. Corral posse—David with his service pistol raised, Snow with her bow and an arrow pulled from the quiver on her back, and Hook with a dagger he'd concealed in a scabbard tucked into his belt under his coat.

The Queen made a _tsk_ sound low in her throat that sent shivers down Emma's spine and held her hand out, menacingly curling her fingers and threatening to snap Jasmine's throat if they came any closer.

Emma nodded and took a step back, her sword already lowered at the sight of the angry looking cut caked with dried blood on the other woman's cheek, her arm extended to move everyone else back with her.

The Queen smirked and her eyes twinkled in delight as Emma followed her orders. She relaxed the squeezing motion of her fingers and while the princess immediately grasped for air she waved her hand and a golden lamp appeared in her palm. 

The Queen locked eyes with Emma as she caressed the side of the lamp, summoning Aladdin in a twirl of golden smoke. Hook verbalized his disbelief and Aladdin apologized as the rest of the group was shocked silent.

"My genie," The Queen smirked smugly, every bit the cat to the Charming gang's canary. "I believe I have three wishes."

"Go ahead and wish, they always come with a price," Aladdin warned morosely. 

"That they do," The Queen agreed solemnly, pacing before the heroes and eyeing them as though considering something before she paused in front of Emma. "Which is why I'm not going to wish for something for me. I'm going to give _you_ something." The Queen's eyes were alight with mischief and Emma gulped, shifting nervously in place and barely resisting the urge to reach up and tug her collar away from her neck. "Something you've always wanted." The Queen seemed amused when Emma's head tilted and her brow furrowed, looking more like a confused puppy than a savior. "Something you confided about...to Aladdin."

Hook frowned, eyeing Emma suspiciously as she anxiously asked, barely above a whisper, "You heard us?"

"You were in my land of mirrors, dear. Surely, you must know by now. I hear everything. You wished you weren't The Savior, so that's exactly what you're going to get." With a step back and a dramatic boom of her voice The Queen commanded, "Genie of Agrabah, I wish...that Emma Swan's wish...to have never been The Savior...be granted."

Aladdin lowered his head in shame and raised his hand in obedience, granting the wish as Emma screamed and disappeared in a _poof_.

.

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Emma awoke in her chambers of the White Palace and dressed in a simple gown from her wardrobe, not nearly as fond of the pomp and circumstance her mother preferred, and secretly dreading the ball that was to be held in her honor. It was a normal day, a day that should have felt like any other, special only in that it was her birthday. The princess should have been genuinely happy, and yet, the dream that had woken her seemed to haunt her waking thoughts. 

She knew she should have meant what she said when she answered the dwarf who called out from the crowd gathered in her honor asking what she wished for as she blew out the candle on her cake.

"Not a thing. Everything I could ever want is right here."

Charming and Snow shared a proud smile and Emma tried to at least mimic their joy, but something felt...off. Even calling them 'Mommy' and 'Daddy' felt foreign, awkwardly rolling off her tongue though she knew she had been calling them that for more than thirty years. 

Her mother noticed her tight smile right away and when she asked the princess what was wrong Emma started to explain her dream and the more she spoke about it the clearer the image of that foreign land 'Storybrooke' became in her mind until her father stopped her with a gentle squeeze to her shoulder and a placating look of fondness, assuring her it was only a dream. Emma presented them with the sword she had found under her bed, sure that would be proof that something wasn't quite right, but her mother explained its presence away with a soothing tone and sensible reasoning. 

When Henry joined them in a rush from the training field and assumed the sword she held was a gift for his knighting ceremony, her father motioned for the boy to take it, Snow's reasoning seeming all the more plausible. Emma, reluctantly let the sword out of her grasp, feeling oddly protective of it and uncomfortable even as she told Henry how proud his father would be.

The family shared a moment of silence looking up at the portrait of Baelfire and Emma once again felt a tug in her chest, like a longing come to life, but knew deep down it wasn't for Henry's father. She missed her old beau, missed his companionship and their shared history, missed the bond he would never be able to develop with their son, but something else, something more...substantial, left her feeling empty and confused and she had a suspicion it had something to do with her dream.

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"Where did she go?!"

Hook sighed in defeat, "We have no idea, Henry."

"But we're trying to figure that out, right? Because I didn't stay behind for you," Regina angrily pointed an accusatory finger at everyone in the room with a glare, "to screw things up!"

"Hey," David ducked his head and squirmed in place nervously, placing one hand on his waist and the other on his holster, looking exactly like his missing daughter would when the mayor chastised her, "take it easy on us. It was The Queen."

Regina's eyes narrowed in irritation and she snapped, "I know who it was! Maybe use some of that defensive energy to figure out where she is! You're her father, you must have some idea!"

"Yeah, I am her father," David bristled and snapped back, "that doesn't mean I know everything!" They glared each other down for a moment before Regina huffed in frustration and David turned the questioning on the pirate. "What about you, Hook? You live with her now, did she give you any ideas?"

"If I had an idea don't you think I'd have bloody well mentioned it by now?" Hook sarcastically quipped.

"How do you share a home with someone and not know their secrets?!"

"I have to agree with what is, perhaps for the very first time, logic coming from Prince Charming," Regina snarked, crossing her arms.

"Regina," Snow warned, reproachful with her Mary Margaret teacher tone even while bouncing her fussing baby. 

"Because we don't stand around and talk about what happens when a bloody genie appears, mate!"

"Please! Stop fighting," Jasmine begged. "Please."

Regina sighed and uncrossed her arms, running her fingers through her hair in frustration, "This is what she wants. She told us we would tear ourselves apart and that is _exactly_ what we are doing."

Hook and David shared a look and nodded in agreement. David took a deep breath to clear his head and calm down before asking, "So what do we do now?"

"The Evil Queen has thrown a lot of punches today, but now..." Regina got a far-away look in her eyes and nodded to herself when the wheels in her head started turning, "I think I know how to throw one back."

Snow noticed the glint in Regina's eyes and felt as though mischief and mayhem were no doubt imminent. She cautiously asked, "Would you care to share the details?"

"Don't worry about that," Regina waved her hand dismissively and buttoned her coat. "Just keep an eye on my son while I'm gone."

"Mom," Henry whined, immediately protesting once again being left behind as his mother pressed a quick kiss to his forehead. 

"No arguments."

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The Queen gasped playfully when Regina stormed in, then continued sipping her drink. 

"Having fun in my office?"

"Well, as a matter of fact," she squeezed Aladdin's bicep flirtatiously and winked, "I was about to."

"Eww."

"I'm not here for your _perversions_ ," Regina rolled her eyes, "I'm here to get Emma back."

The Queen chuckled condescendingly and perched on the edge of the desk, "Oh, well, good luck with that. You're not getting ahold of this lamp. Even if you did," she mocked, carelessly swinging it around her finger, "you can't undo wishes."

"Sadly true."

Both brunettes ignored Aladdin and The Queen kicked the chair in front of her out from where it was pushed in, "Now, take a seat," she stood, stalking towards her double and pushing the Appletini into her hand, "have a drink, and give thanks where thanks is due." The Queen held her hands in the air, motioning to herself with a mock bow before rounding Regina's desk and gracefully taking a seat.

Regina couldn't do much more than blink and wonder what she was missing, too stunned to think about not accepting the drink now clutched in her grasp. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Be a dear and mix another, hmm?" The Queen dismissed Aladdin. "Don't forget, I know you better than anyone, Regina." She chuckled evilly, once again gesturing towards herself, "I am you! And there was a time when all you wanted was to tear Snow and Charming apart and kick Emma Swan out of your town." Her evil chuckle morphed into a spiteful cackle, "And now I've done both. A toast," she accepted the fresh drink Aladdin handed her and clinked it against the glass Regina was bemused to find she was still holding. "To you. To me. To us." Regina leveled the mirror image of herself with a glare and lowered the glass in her hand to the table, causing the woman in front of her to sigh with a frown. "That's why you'll never be happy. You've won and you can't even admit it!"

"What kind of victory is this? Your son hates you, you banished Emma, you've alienated the town you've tried so hard to redeem yourself to. You put Snow and Charming under a curse...again. This isn't winning."

"And what is?" The Queen sneered. "Love?! You're still that same weak, pathetic girl you were decades ago that had to create _me_ to survive. Love...is...weakness. You've never learned that lesson and until you do I'm going to keep destroying everything you cherish."

"I know you better than anyone, Your Majesty," Regina mimicked mockingly and watched as The Queen's features took on the familiar ugly rage she was so familiar with during her reign, "you will never be happy like this. I know that because you were right, we are the same person. And that also means I may not be able to physically get ahold of that lamp in your hands, but you're not the only master of the genie."

"No," The Queen denied as the color drained from her face in shock.

"Genie of the Lamp, I wish to be sent to the same place as Emma Swan."

"No!" The Queen screamed in defeat.

Aladdin smirked, "Your wish is my command, Master."

With a wave of his hand and a swirl of golden smoke Regina was gone.

"NO!"

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	9. Sorry I'm Late

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title is a wink to all of you I kept waiting during my unintentional mid-season hiatus. ;)

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She heard birds chirping in the distance and the _whoosh_ of the swirl of magic as it gently carried her on the whisper of the wind, instantly transporting her to a forest she would recognize anywhere.... The Enchanted Forest.

She didn't pause to take in the scenery of her old home or gain her bearings or even wonder what period of time, alternate universe, or figment of imagination she could be in before yelling out, "Emma?" The birds continued chirping but no other sound was heard. "Emma?!" She heard the jolly whistling before the rustle of leaves and snap of branches on the forest floor. Later she would vehemently deny the delighted squeak in her voice when she called out, "Hey! Hey! Dwarves!" She ran out of the dense woods and met them on the road, taking a deep breath and sighing in relief to have found some familiar faces. "I'm looking for Emma. Have you seen her?" When they stared at her mutely she grew impatient and snapped, "Have you _seen_ her?"

Grumpy—she rolled her eyes when she realized it was almost always Grumpy inciting the riots and mass hysteria—gasped, "The Evil Queen! She's back!"

"No, no, no," she denied, holding out her hands to stop them from fleeing, and attempting a kind smile. "I'm...I'm not The Evil Queen anymore."

"Move! Move! We must warn them!" Grumpy screamed. "The war is not over! Run!"

"No, wait!" The dwarves all took off in a mad dash, ignoring her words and crashing into each other in their rush to get away. "Idiots."

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She walked with no particular direction in mind, not sure where to start her search, and eventually stumbled upon an intricately designed marble statue of Snow with her bow and Charming with his sword looking every bit the perfect pair of triumphant warriors. The inscription below their family crest made her chuckle wryly.

**ON THIS SPOT SNOW WHITE AND PRINCE DAVID HEROICALLY DEFEATED THE EVIL QUEEN**

"Seriously?"

She rolled her eyes and continued walking.

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She heard the humming as she approached a meadow with yellow flowers blossoming in every direction for as far as her eyes could see.

She couldn't hold back the suddenly nervous laugh that slipped out when she realized who the woman before her was. Her naturally wild blonde hair was braided back loosely, just enough to keep the waves from falling in her face as she frolicked aimlessly through the flowers, gathering some in the basket looped over her arm and singing to herself the tune she had been humming. She had a cream colored gown with matching full length gloves on under a thick pale pink cloak with white fur trim that was held shut with an antique gold broach. Her cheeks were pink and Regina couldn't tell at this distance if it was from makeup or a natural blush due to the chill in the air. She had bright red lipstick on that Regina couldn't stop glancing at and her pale features seemed more cherubic due to the peacefulness she radiated.

"Emma?" She couldn't stop staring, her mouth dangling open in shock as the blonde before her halted immediately, startled to find herself no longer alone. "What the _hell_ happened to you?"

Emma remained frozen in place, the resemblance to a confused puppy Regina normally found endearing exchanged for a deer in headlights. "You—You're The Evil Queen."

Regina frowned, crestfallen. "You don't remember me."

"I know exactly who you are." Emma walked backwards, hiding behind a tree and using it for cover as Regina approached, logically knowing she should run from the brunette even though all her instincts told her to move closer. "My parents banished you."

"Uh, no, they didn't," Regina chuckled awkwardly and took a submissive posture, crouching forward slightly with arms extended and palms up like she was approaching a feral animal so Emma could see she meant her no harm. "None of this is real. I'm your—" she paused, not sure how to explain their unique relationship. "I'm your friend, Emma."

"You're no one's friend," the blonde immediately denied, peeking out from behind the tree she was still using as a barrier between them. "My father said you were a liar."

Regina rolled her eyes, "Honestly, your father might be even more dramatic than your mother, and—" she bit her tongue when Emma frowned defensively, knowing she couldn't afford to lose her patience with Emma like this. "It's not a lie. Where we're from," she gestured between them, "we actually...share custody of a son." The confused puppy look was back finally and Regina's lips curved up in a small smile, "It's complicated, but the point is, I made a wish to come here so I could rescue you because...you're The Savior. And, while I know you've often resented that destiny, your family needs you."

Regina's tone and expression rang of honesty and it made Emma pause, considering her next words before she jumped when the brunette suddenly ducked, narrowly avoiding an arrow fired at her head.

Regina whipped around and almost groaned because, of course, Snow was the archer who had fired at her.

"This is impossible," David hissed, his hand on the hilt of the sword tucked into the scabbard on his hip, poised to strike at a moment's notice. "You were banished!"

"The fairies saw to it you could never return. There's no way you can be here right now," The White Queen denied vehemently, marching closer with her Charming King by her side and her bow in her hand. 

Regina couldn't believe what she was seeing. "Snow? David?"

"Show some respect!" David snapped, "It's 'Your Majesties'. This is our kingdom now."

Regina couldn't help but laugh at the still familiar faces under age lines and grey and white hair, "You're so old."

"Taunt us all you wish," Snow stood taller, composing herself regally and speaking with absolute passion, "we shall never back down from protecting our people."

"Emma," Regina turned back to the blonde, "these people aren't real."

Emma looked nervously to her parents for guidance, "Mommy, Daddy, please help."

David immediately pulled his sword from its sheath and Snow drew another arrow from the quiver on her back.

"No, they're—they're hallucinations that—," Regina rushed to explain, "—a fake reality—"

David ordered her back, "Stay away from our daughter!"

"Emma, you have to believe me!"

"Never," Emma refused at once despite the urge she felt to do just that, leaving Regina looking crushed.

David extended the sword in his hand, pointing it menacingly at Regina, "This blade banished you from the kingdom once before. Now let's make it permanent."

Regina took a careful step away from the weapon before looking back at Emma and scoffing, "Come on. This isn't you. There has to be some part of you that knows that!" David started to move closer and Regina pleaded with Emma, her tone and the look on her face begging, "Please!" David grunted when he swung with all his might and Regina yelled, "damn it!" in frustration as she waved her hands and disappeared in a puff of purple smoke.

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David decided, with Snow and Jasmine's help and against Hook's advice, to steal the lamp back from The Queen to stop her current reign of terror in Storybrooke as Regina was considering making a deal with Rumple.

"It's not worth it. The world is better off with you behind bars," Regina tossed over her shoulder, dismissing him as she walked away.

"But you said this world isn't real," The Dark One reasoned. "What's the harm of letting a not-real me out of a not-real prison into a not-real world, hmm?"

"You actually have a point, but I know better than to take one of your deals in any realm."

"Do you know why Emma became The Savior in the first place?" Rumple questioned, finally causing Regina to stop walking away. "You," he giggled maniacally when she turned around to face him once again. "Yes! You. Every Savior needs a villain. The Evil Queen. But the _real_ queen, not this sniveling, pathetic, diluted creature I see before me. A real queen of power and purpose...one that I knew...one that can remind Emma that the world needs a savior." He smirked when he recognized the look Regina wore, "Oh, I'm right. Show her your inner darkness, and The Savior will be reborn!" He chuckled mischievously and rattled the bars of his cell. "Now, about these bars, dearie--"

Regina chuckled wryly, "Sorry. We're just old friends talking. We haven't made a deal. Remember."

"Oh, I'm well aware...old friend," he giggled. "Um, but you...you...you may know a way to wake Emma up, but you don't know a way back to--what do you call it?--uh," he grinned impishly, "Storybrooke."

Regina studied him for a moment, suspiciously questioning, "How do you know that name?"

He giggled mischievously once again, "That matters not. What does matter is..." he began to sing-song teasingly, "I can find you a magic bean."

"Where?" Regina demanded immediately.

" _That_ will cost you." Regina paused momentarily, considering her options before waving her hand and opening his cage with a flick of her wrist. "At last!" he yelled triumphantly before taking a deep breath, inhaling deeply. "It smells just as dank outside. I think I need some fresh air."

"Uh, the bean," Regina was quick to remind him as he started to wander off.

"Yes, yes, right, right. Meet me tomorrow at noon down by the lake."

"Tomorrow at noon it is," she agreed with a victorious smile.

Rumple studied her as she stalked away for a moment before confessing with a laugh, "I don't know what happened to you, but you don't exactly inspire fear anymore. If you're going to play the part of Evil Queen, you should look like one, as well."

Regina shrugged and transformed her clothes from Storybrooke to a long, black, bejeweled dress, extended the length of her hair, and added a headdress that was also black and bejeweled to match--an outfit she remembered wearing several times during her evil reign.

She waved her hands in front of herself dramatically, "How's that?"

"Much better!" Rumple giggled and clapped, "Much, much, much better! Now go on! Be evil!"

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It seemed like the entire kingdom was gathered in the palace for Henry's knighting ceremony but Emma's mind was back on the brunette in the forest. She couldn't shake a sense of familiarity and a need to be close to the other woman. Her godmother Red had laughed when she mentioned it and said she was so used to living a peaceful life she was probably just getting swept up in the excitement.

Her mother and father stood beside her, three-quarters of the royal family poised on the ceremonial platform elevated slightly above the anxiously awaiting crowd, when the older woman noticed her pensive expression and took her hand, squeezing it comfortingly.

"Everything is going to be fine. We defeated the Evil Queen once. We'll do it again. Let's just focus on Henry's big day."

Emma relented and returned the squeeze to her mother's hand back, forcing herself to smile at the matching saccharine expressions her parents wore, knowing they were just trying to help. "I don't know what I'd do without you two."

The crowd's murmuring quieted down as the master of ceremonies announced, "Presenting his Royal Highness, Prince Henry!"

The trumpets blasted out fanfare and when the doors to the great hall opened up Henry confidently strode inside, clad entirely in custom gold armor.

"Look at him," Emma whispered happily to her parents, feeling a rush of pride. "He looks so grown-up."

The crowd took a knee and bowed their heads, honoring the boy, and as the doors were closing Regina chanced a look inside, smiling proudly to herself.

The crowd rose and Snow unsheathed the sword David wore on his belt. "Take a knee, young knight," she instructed him with a warm smile. Henry bowed before his grandparents and mother and took a knee as instructed, then kept his head low as a sign of respect. "Do you, Prince Henry, undertake to accept the accolade of knighthood?"

"I do."

Emma beamed down at her son as her father asked, "And will you conduct yourself in all matters as befits a knight of this realm?"

"I will."

David winked and smiled, "Then please, take your final oath here today before your family, friends, and loved ones, so that the kingdom can bear witness to this honorable occasion."

Henry nodded solemnly, his head still lowered, "I shall defend the realm, its lands, and people, and obey its laws in a way that brings honor to my title and rank. I dedicate myself to the noble pursuit of honesty and justice. I pledge myself to support of my fellow man. I dedicate myself to the persecution and cessation of poverty and hunger. I pledge myself to the protection of the weak. I dedicate myself to the cause of good and the fight against evil and injustice."

"Then it is with absolute pride and joy in our hearts that we, Her Majesty Snow of the House White," Snow looked over at her husband and shared a warm smile with him, "and Sir David of the House Nolan, as heads of the ruling family and acting Queen and King of the Enchanted Forest," she tapped the blade of the sword against both of his shoulders, "do dub you, Prince Henry of the House White, Knight of the Realm and Commander of the Royal Guard. Rise, Sir Knight."

As Henry stood to his full height and the room burst into applause the joyous occasion was cut short by Regina, who had waited for his ceremony to finish before she embraced her inner evil and dramatically shoved the doors open like she'd done many years earlier at Snow and Charming's wedding.

She smirked, "Sorry I'm late."

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	10. Once Upon A Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's been so long since I've updated. I guess I'm still a little bitter over the finale. At least we have this, a way to fix this show ourselves. XO Swen

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_As Henry stood to his full height and the room burst into applause the joyous occasion was cut short by Regina, who had waited for his ceremony to finish before she embraced her inner evil and dramatically shoved the doors open like she'd done many years earlier at Snow and Charming's wedding._  


_She smirked, "Sorry I'm late."_

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Mayhem broke out as Regina stalked forward, "It's The Queen! Run!"

Without sparing a glance to the knights rushing towards her she simply extended both arms and threw them across the room.

"She's not the queen anymore!" Snow yelled and pulled Charming's sword from the scabbard on his hip.

Regina rolled her eyes at the predictability of it all and with a flash of violet froze Charming and Snow in place. "Look at them, missing out on this happy, happy day." She paced before the platform, her long red cape dragging on the floor behind her, as Emma eyed her warily, Henry glared, and the audience around them trembled in suspense and fear. "I vowed to destroy their happiness if it is the last thing I do."

"Please," Emma begged and Regina whipped her cape back as she sneered at the sniveling, whining princess Queen Snow had turned the blonde into. "Don't hurt my parents."

"Oh, but you see, hurting them is the point..." She fixed Emma with a challenging stare, "Unless you know of some hero who can stop me."

Henry, assuming that meant him, started to move forward but Regina froze in shock as Emma dropped to one knee, her head dipped low in a subservient bow. "Mercy, please."

Regina's shock morphed to frustration and she huffed, emphasizing her challenging words with all the subtlety of a bull in a china shop to spurn the blonde into action. "Look for that _hero_ , princess, and when you find one you know where to find us."

When Emma made no move to rise Regina frowned and with a wave of her hand transported herself and the frozen royal couple to her palace.

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Back in Storybrooke the sound of a sword being slid across the floor to rest at her feet made The Queen chuckle evilly, "Ah, David. I thought I smelled earnestness."

"Pick it up."

"Why me? You're the one who dropped it."

David resisted the urge to roll his eyes and let his cover fall. Regina always referred to them as children and idiots but it was so very easy to push her buttons and bait her into a fight and when he did they usually bickered in this back and forth 'I know you are, but what am I' manner until the actual violence began.

He made sure he was far enough away that when he swung his sword she was in no real danger and braced himself for impact knowing she had enough time and room to throw him against the wall with a flick of her wrist, which she relished the opportunity to do, too distracted by her perceived victory to notice he was maneuvering her away from the lamp on her desk. 

The Queen scoffed before taunting, "You do realize you _can't_ kill me, you imbecilic shepherd."

David jumped from his prone position on the floor and grabbed the lamp with a mischievous smirk, "Thanks for the tip. Who's the imbecile now?"

The Queen scowled silently as David gently rubbed the lamp and grinned as Aladdin emerged in a swirl of golden smoke. 

"David," he smiled back, relieved. "Are you my new master?"

"Yeah, Aladdin, I am."

"Careful," The Queen warned him menacingly, seething at the sight of his stupid boyish grin. "Don't dabble with forces you don't understand."

"Oh, I'm gonna be quite careful."

"Your wish is my command, _especially_ if it's going to hurt her. But remember, all wishes come with a price."

"I know. And I truly have no desire to hurt her, I haven't in a very long time. That's why I'm making my wish from the heart, for the best interest of everyone involved."

"You've only got three wishes," The Queen snarked, "don't tell me you endured a bounce off that wall just to waste them on peace, love, and happiness."

"That's exactly what I want," David's smile turned genuine. "I wish you would stop sabotaging yourself. I wish you would stop pushing away everyone that cares about you. I wish you would realize how far you've come." David seemed to stand taller as he was able to put his request into the right words, "Genie, I wish The Queen would allow herself to be happy."

Aladdin extended his hand and a golden beam of light oozed out of his palm and engulfed The Queen, bursting in a bubble of warmth.

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The David that was king in the Dream World was no less earnest or prone to bickering than the real version. "Whatever you're planning, it won't work. We'll defeat you, Regina. We always--"

"Defeat me," Regina cut him off. "I know, I know. That's what I'm counting on."

"Don't worry," Emma entered the throne room of the dark palace in a rush. "She's not going to hurt you. It's going to be okay."

"I _knew_ you'd find the hero in you," Regina couldn't help the way she sighed out a breath of relief before realizing Emma still needed more prodding to truly remember and ignited a fire ball in her palm, "Now, let's get this over with." Emma moved closer carefully before offering a box in her hands to Regina who frowned, "What is that? Some kind of weapon?"

Emma bowed as she flicked back the lid to reveal what was inside, "The key to our kingdom, which is now yours, Your Majesty. We surrender."

"Seriously?"

Emma looked up at the confused tone before bowing her head again with a nod, "Anything to protect my parents."

"Emma," Regina huffed in frustration and extinguished the fire ball to yank the key off its velvet cushion and toss it on the floor at their feet with a clatter, "I don't want the key to your kingdom. I just--I just want you to remember who you are and get you back to Storybrooke."

"Storybrooke?" The name struck with familiarity she felt deep down in her bones. "Like in my dream? How do you know of my dreams?"

"Oh, come on, Emma. This--" she waved her arms around them, "--this is the dream! And now I have to wake you up." She frowned, this time with a deep sadness, "I knew you wouldn't believe it, Emma, so...I really am sorry about this."

"No!" Emma screamed as Regina's hands disappeared in her parents' chests, ripped back with half of Snow's split heart from each chest pumping in her fists. "I--I already gave you the kingdom," Emma started to cry and fell to her knees. "I gave you everything. What more can I do?"

"Be The Savior and stop me."

"I--"

"If not your parents _die_!" She emphasized her point with a squeeze that made Snow and David gasp in pain, silently willing Emma to move, react, fight back, anything. 

"I'm not a hero, I--" Emma sank lower, nearly collapsing to the floor below her with a sob, "--I'm not The Savior."

"Yes, you are! I know you, Emma. You fight when it matters. You always do." She realized her tone was too soft, reverting from the evil she needed to be to the caring she had become, compelled by Emma's brokenness to comfort rather than spurn her into action. She gathered the anger she felt at the situation and turned it on Emma, "Right now you need to _fight_!"

All another squeeze to the hearts made Emma do was beg again and continue to sob, "No! Please!"

Regina raged, furious with herself for being unable to help Emma who continued to sniffle and whimper, "Oh, come on, Miss Swan!"

"I don't know how!"

"You don't want their blood on your hands, do you?"

"No!"

"Do you?!"

Regina squeezed tight enough to crumble the hearts to dust in her hands and the bodies behind her slumped to the side and fell as Emma sobbed harder. 

"No! No, no, no!"

Regina's shoulders slumped as her hands opened and the dust fell. "You really don't remember, do you?" She shook her head, forlorn. "You really couldn't fight me."

"She may not have fought, but I will." Regina turned at the sound of Henry's voice to see her boy in the gold armor from his knighting ceremony with the sword fated to kill Emma in his hands. "You murdered my grandparents and for that, you will pay!"

"Oh, no, Henry, I--"

"Henry!"

"It's okay, mother. I have this."

Regina took a step back, her heart aching at the sight of her child glaring at her with true hatred in his eyes, "I won't hurt you, Henry."

"But I _will_ hurt you."

Regina merely closed her eyes and accepted her fate, her hands falling limply to her sides in total defeat and surrender and something inside Emma's chest tightened.

"Henry, stop!" Emma shouted as Henry swung his sword with all his might and dropped to one knee with a grunt as he hurled it with both hands over his head, the blade headed straight for Regina's heart. A feeling of panic pushed her into action and her hand raised on instinct, a burst of white light shooting out of her palm to freeze Henry in place and his sword in mid air.

When Regina felt and heard nothing she peeked one eye open and found Emma gawking, her hand still extended and her mouth hanging open. Wary of the hope she suddenly felt, Regina questioned carefully, "Emma?" The blonde nodded and took a deep breath, looking around and wiping the tears from her face roughly. Regina couldn't keep the warmth from her tone, "You saved me."

"Yeah, well, you came to this crazy land to save me, so it's only fair right?" 

"You...remember?"

"Yeah. I remember." She moved to their son's still frozen body and gently rubbed his back, "When you couldn't hurt Henry. He was about to actually kill and become everything I never wanted him to be. That's when I knew."

Emma looked at her thoughtfully, for what seemed like truly the first time since they'd been in the Dream World, and Regina gave a soft smile in return. Her focus eventually turned to the slumped bodies and she grimaced, "Are they...?"

"Oh, they're not real. This is all just a dream, a hypothetical universe in which you were never savior. I didn't actually kill anyone," she rushed to explain. 

"I know. You just needed to wake me." Emma studied her again for a moment before softly whispering, "Thank you."

Regina gave another small smile, this time upset with herself, "I'm sorry that was...rather dark."

"You did what you needed to do," Emma shrugged and plucked the sword from where it was still frozen in mid air. "Come on. Let's go stop the real Evil Queen."

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They walked along the shore in companionable silence. Regina allowed Emma the quiet so she could process everything she'd been through when the blonde suddenly sighed in frustration.

"Storybrooke felt like a dream. Now this does. The person I was here, she wasn't me." She paused and Regina stopped beside her, unable to tear her eyes away as the blonde turned the sword around in her hand inspecting it. "I don't even know the last time I honestly felt like myself, but...the fighting and the pain of reality, it's what makes me," she shrugged, "me. I'm good with that. Even if it means my end."

"Singing Princess Emma wasn't exactly my favorite model," Regina teased lightly.

"I didn't sing--" Emma shifted, suddenly wishing the dress and cloak she was still in had pockets she could stuff her hands in, "--that you saw."

Regina simply chuckled, "Let's go home." She waited for Emma to return her smile before breaking their stare and looking around the deserted lake. "Where is he?"

"Who?"

"Oh, I...sort of madeadealwithTheDarkOne and let him out of his cage for a ticket home."

"Regina!" Emma frowned, perfectly understanding her rushed sentence. "What if he's, like, razing villages or something?"

An impish giggle startled them both, "Well, dearie, on behalf of all Rumplestiltskins everywhere, I'm here to make good on my word." Regina tossed a victorious smirk over her shoulder that Emma rolled her eyes at. "Sure you want to leave all this behind, Princess?"

Knowing what Emma's answer would be Regina simply ignored his question and held out her hand, "The bean, Rumple."

He reached into the pocket of his coat and dropped said bean into her waiting palm, "As promised. Just throw it down and think about where you want to go."

"I know how it works, thank you."

He cackled, "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to raze some fake villages."

As the red smoke dissipated Regina held the bean between her thumb and pointer finger, showing Emma their way out. "You ready, Emma?"

The blonde nodded before repeating Regina's earlier words, liking the way they felt coming from her own mouth, "Let's go home."

Regina dropped the bean to the ground and a green portal appeared, she held out her hand again and Emma took it without saying a word. As they moved to jump Regina yanked on her hand, pulling them both down and out of the line of fire as an arrow zipped by. 

"Not another step, ladies."

"No," Regina's entire body tensed as she immediately recognized the voice and looked up to see her soulmate with another arrow drawn and ready to fire. "It can't be."

"This is a robbery."

As if drawn to him by magic Regina stepped closer and Emma glanced between the couple and the portal worriedly, "Regina?"

Regina didn't seem to hear her and continued to stare at the thief before them, "Robin?"

"Let's go!" He barked impatiently, "Off with the jewelry!"

"Remember what you said," Emma tried to coax her back. "He's not real!"

"Robin?"

"Regina, we've got to go!" The portal continued to narrow and Emma yelled out, "Regina!"

The brunette still hadn't acknowledged her but Emma refused to leave her behind. She watched helplessly as the portal, their way home, closed.

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	11. One Simple Task

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Emma and Regina handed over their jewelry and Robin ran off when Henry and two guards were heard galloping towards them.

"Regina, they're after you." When the brunette remained frozen in place staring off into the distance where Robin had run Emma raised her voice, "They're looking for you!" They waited for Henry and his guards to ride off before rising from where they'd hidden, crouched behind a fallen tree. "Okay, they're gone. The last thing we need is you in some dungeon, real or fake or whatever this place is."

Regina still looked dazed, "He didn't age."

"What?"

"Robin, he--" Regina frowned as her mind raced trying to figure an explanation. "Everyone else here aged. How is that possible?"

"Nothing is real. _He's_ not real. Remember what you told me up there. This is all just a dream, a hypothetical universe in which I was never savior. This place was created on a wish. Don't get lost in it. When we get home, this'll all just be like a dream."

"And how long until we get home?" Regina crossed her arms and frowned as thunder started to rumble off in the distance. "I just cost us our return ticket."

Emma watched as a single rain drop fell onto the bark of the tree they'd hidden behind and smiled. "Not long. I think I know how to get us back."

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Hook slammed the door to his quarters shut and stomped to the desk littered in maps, then with an angry shove sent all the papers on top of it flying. Still fuming, he slammed his hand and hook against the surface before moving quickly and sending it and the chair behind skidding across the floor to crash against the wall.

The door creaked as it was opened.

"I am still the captain and I gave an order not to be disturbed!"

The sharp point of a high heel clicked as it walked across his wooden floor and a tin mug clinked as it skittered towards him, kicked to rest at the bottom of his feet.

"My, my," a voice he recognized but did not expect to hear sighed out. "What a mess you've made, Captain."

He whipped around and came face to face with Regina. "What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

The brunette lifted one arm and shook her wrist, showcasing the enchanted cuff blocking her magic. "I need you to remove this."

"Why should I?"

"Because I am not Regina. Now remove this, immediately."

Hook eyed the woman before him suspiciously, "You sound an awful lot like Regina."

"I am Fiona, and this cabin is not the only thing you have made a mess of." Hook jumped at the sound of The Black Fairy's name and immediately freed her. With a deep inhale and a whirl of black smoke the glamor spell was lifted. "I gave you one task and you've failed to do it."

"It's not as simple as--"

He didn't even see the slap coming, just licked the blood on his lip away and tried to ignore the ringing in his ears.

"No, it is as simple as that. One task. One _simple_ task. Keep Emma Swan from loving Regina Mills. And where are they?"

"In a dream world. They won't be able to stop your plans in reality."

"It does not matter what world they are in, if they are together they are unstoppable. The easy method would have been to kill one or both of them years ago. That was my instinct, and I clearly should have listened, but you convinced me otherwise. You hoped to orchestrate a happy ending for yourself, the self serving lowlife that you are, and stop destiny in the process." She snapped her fingers and the ring in his pocket appeared in the palm of her hand. "How's that going?"

"It takes time," Hook seethed.

She threw the ring at him and he fumbled to catch it as it bounced off his chest, "I have given you time. I have given you money. I have given you magic. What have you given me in return?"

"She's not the same Savior she used to be."

"No, she's not. But that's not enough." The Black Fairy flicked her wrist and perched on the edge of the table once it was uprighted. "I sent a distraction their way but time is running out. Frankly, the final seconds on the clock started ticking the moment Emma Swan shoved half her heart into Regina Mills' chest. A great war is headed our way, and I brought someone with me to finish this."

"Who?"

"A babe I have stolen, crossed realms and altered time for, raised as my own personal Savior. A babe who has grown into a man that will clean up all the messes you've made." The Blue Fairy materialized between them from a flash of blue smoke and sparkling pixie dust. "Yes?"

"We have Alexandra and Phillip."

The Black Fairy sighed in exasperation, "There are five children born of True Love in Storybrooke. Counting the one in a dream world, the one I brought with me, and the two you currently have possession of...my math says you owe me one more." She stood from where she was still perched and with a whirl of black smoke glamoured herself back into Regina's image. "I will give you one more chance to prove yourself useful, Captain. Take me to Neal Nolan."

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Emma found Pinocchio easily enough and when she asked him to speak in private he listened, even when she brought Regina in.

"I know this sounds, well, crazy."

"Long ago, I desperately wanted to become a real boy. And it only took one person, my father, believing in me to make it so. I believe in you, Emma."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. So, why me? What can a simple wood carver do for you?"

"Carve wood and get us home. Your father once made a magical wardrobe. It took us between realms as children."

Pinocchio shook his head, "My father passed. Years ago."

"I know," Emma winced. "I have all of Princess Emma's memories, too, and I'm sorry. I was hoping that maybe you still have that wardrobe. I've seen it's ashes used to make a portal in The Enchanted Forest."

"I remember the one you speak about. But I dismantled it years ago. It reminded me of darker times. No offense," he sarcastically offered Regina who just scoffed in response. 

She had remained uncharacteristically silent, stoically standing with her spine rigid and arms crossed. "None taken. This world became oh-so-much better after I was gone."

Emma expected the sarcasm from Pinocchio but Regina's deprecation had her eyeing the brunette worriedly. 

"Maybe I _can_ help," Pinocchio offered, distracting the blonde. "I know the enchanted grove where my father found the wood for the original wardrobe. Perhaps we can replicate his work. I kept his tools."

The mischievous tilt of his lips and arch of his eyebrow when he smiled gave Emma a sense of familiarity and hope. 

"Regina, what do you think?"

When she received no response Emma turned and her mouth dropped open in shock to find the room empty. A rolled piece of parchment was left where Regina had been standing.

**Do what you must to get home with Pinocchio. I will not hold you back a second time. I have faith in you, Emma. I know you will succeed. But I can't come back until I have a question answered. ~~I know Robin isn't real here~~ I need to know if, like everything else in this realm, is he better off without me?**

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess the last chapter was reviewed by someone who didn't read the tags.


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